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Start a Top 5 for Clam ChowderEditor’s picks
Press picks, until locals rank their own Top 5s. Sourced from the local food press. As seen in Boston Magazine. Updated September 2026.
Legal Sea Foods - Harborside · Seaport
Boston Magazine's Best of Boston 2024 winner. Little-neck clams, chunky potatoes, salt pork. Served at every U.S. Presidential inauguration since 1981.
Union Oyster House · Downtown
Operating since 1826. The oldest continuously operating restaurant in the United States. Rich, creamy, packed with fresh clams.
Neptune Oyster · North End
The no-reservations seafood counter that consistently tops Boston chowder rankings. Small-batch, broth-forward, served with oyster crackers and a dash of sherry.
Row 34 - Seaport | Boston · Fort Point
Known for one of the city's stronger lobster rolls, this Fort Point oyster bar also serves a classic chowder built with bacon, potato, and celery, brightened with fresh bay leaf and other herbs. The raw bar and deep beer list make it a full seafood destination rather than a quick bowl.
The Banks Seafood and Steak · Back Bay
A drizzle of chive oil and a generous helping of pork belly set this fancier leaning Back Bay chowder apart from the classic renditions around town, with fresh chopped chives finishing every bowl. It sits inside a polished surf and turf room built for a bigger night out.